Thankful
by Em Kay Who
Summary: The Doctor decides the Tyler family should celebrate Thanksgiving and share what they're all thankful for.


**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving! This story is technically in the same 'verse as Trick-Or-Treat, though prior knowledge of that story is not necessary.**

 **Disclaimer: I do now own Doctor Who or anything related.**

* * *

"Wait a second... Did you just say you want to celebrate Thanksgiving?" Rose looked at the Doctor questioningly. Ever since Halloween, when he so lovingly arranged for Rose and Tony to go trick-or-treating, he'd been acting a bit off. He'd more more solemn and thoughtful than he had been the previous months since arriving in Pete's World. She'd been concerned at first, unsure if she should approach him about it or not, but ultimately decided to let him be. He had been so amazing since they had been reunited, taking everything that's happened in stride, that she couldn't blame him if he finally needed a little time to himself. He would come to her when he was ready. And now he had. They had just finished preparing for bed when the Doctor opened up about his plans for the coming Thursday.

"Yep! A traditional Thanksgiving with all the trimmings," the Doctor responded, sounding more cheerful than he had in weeks.

"But, Doctor, you do know that Thanksgiving is an American holiday, yeah?"

He rolled his eyes playfully. "Of course I do! But that doesn't mean it's never been celebrated in the UK. Loads of people have their own versions."

"If you say so." She shrugged. "But why do you want to have one this year?"

"I just thought it might be nice to try something different, but if you'd rather not..."

Rose climbed into bed beside the Doctor, shaking her head in the process. "Now, I never said that. If you want to celebrate Thanksgiving, we'll celebrate Thanksgiving." Snuggling closer, she asked, "What can I do to help?"

He gave a large smile. "Absolutely nothing! I've already got everything under control and planned out. I've been looking up recipes online!"

"Have you?" Rose giggled. "And you're gonna do all the cooking too?"

"Course I am! I'm a brilliant cook," the Doctor preened.

"Doctor..."

He sighed. "Fine. I've spoken to Mrs. Dooley and she's going to help."

She threw her head back and laughed. She had no doubt that her parents' cook, Mrs. Dooley, had readily agreed to help the Doctor before he even presented his case. The older Scottish woman had had a soft spot for him from the moment they met and the Doctor ate up the attention she doted on him whole heartedly. Leaning forward, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "I'm looking forward to it."

* * *

"So, before we start eating, I would like us all to go around the table and say what we're thankful for," the Doctor explained as they all sat down, ready for their Thanksgiving feast. It had been a long day of cooking for him, but thankfully Mrs. Dooley stayed to help get everything started before heading to her own home and family. With near perfect timing, they had all just finished watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade straight from the US as the Doctor finished setting the table.

Jackie Tyler frowned. "Do people actually do that?" Jackie asked. "I thought people only did that on the telly."

"Well, we don't have to," the Doctor said, looking slightly dejected.

Rose's heart melted. For some reason this whole Thanksgiving celebration was important for the Doctor. Jumping in, she told her mother, "I don't care if people only do it on the telly, I think it sounds brilliant." She looked at her brother. "Tony, why don't you start us off. What are you thankful for?"

"Let's see..." The boy tapped his chin. "I'm thankful for cake. And my bed. And my family."

She smiled. "Sounds lovely. What about you, Jake?" she asked her friend. Though Jake wasn't an official Tyler, he was as good as and there was no doubt when planning for the day that he would join them.

"Well, I'm thankful for my job at Torchwood and for you lot. I would be in a dark place if wasn't for all of you," he answered.

"Oh, you know we love you, silly man," Jackie said with a sniff. "Suppose it's my turn. Let's see. I'm thankful for this moment right here. That all of us are sitting at this table together. There was a time... There was a time when holiday tables were much smaller. And I'm just so thankful that we can all be here together, enjoying this meal."

Pete grinned at his wife and took her hand in his. "I have to whole heartedly agree. I truly am thankful for every single one of you."

"Rose," the Doctor prompted.

Rose looked thoughtful before answering, "I'm thankful for the night a Time Lord took my hand and told me to run. If it wasn't for that night, none of us would be here together. There was a time being in this universe seemed like a punishment," she admitted apologetically, "but I'm now so thankful for that second day on Bad Wolf Bay when this Doctor and I were given our chance together."

"Oh, Rose."

Jackie cleared her throat. "Think it's your turn now, sweetheart," she told the him.

He took a deep breath. "Right, right. Mine's going to be a bit long. I'm thankful for you Jackie. I'm thankful you brought up such an amazing daughter in very difficult circumstances. I'm thankful for you, Pete, for being there for both Rose and Jackie when they first came to this universe and for supporting Rose in her attempts to find me again. I'm thankful for you, Jake. I'm thankful that you were there for Rose as a friend when she needed one. And of course I am very thankful for you, Tony Tyler. You are a bit impossible in all of the best ways. I'm thankful for you being the best brother Rose could ask for." The Doctor turned in his chair to face the woman beside him. "Last but never least, I am so thankful for you, Rose Marion Tyler. You have saved me, oh, so many times. I was a very broken man when I first met you, but you took my hand and showed me that the universe, any universe, could still be a beautiful place. "I love you, Rose."

"I love you too," she replied, her voice thick with tears.

"That's good, because I was wondering if you would give me one more thing to be thankful for."

"What would that be?"

Standing from his seat, the Doctor pulled a small black box from his jacket pocket and got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

Rose covered her mouth with her hand, chocking back a small sob. "You want to marry me?"

"I really do!"

"Oh my god, yes!" she exclaimed, throwing herself out of her chair and into his arms.

The first out of her seat was Jackie, who pulled the couple into her own embrace. "My baby girl's getting married!" she cried.

"Congratulations, you two!" Pete told them proudly when Jackie finally let them up for air.

Jake gave them each a smirk. "So do I get to be Best Man or Man of Honour?"

"What about you, Tony?" Jackie asked. "Aren't you excited for your sister and the Doctor?"

"Yes, but can we eat now? I'm starving!"

Everyone laughed and readily agreed and were soon back in their seats as the Doctor served everyone their food. He watched delightedly as they each took their first bites and began oohing and awing over everything. Finally filling his own plate he sat back down next to his future wife. "You do realise that Mum's going to insist you do the cooking for every holiday now, yeah?" she told him with her distinct tongue in teeth grin.

His eyes grew wide. He hadn't thought of that.


End file.
